Hide and Seek
by Aingeal-J
Summary: Missing bodies, strange notes and a vengefull x-boyfriend do not mix.
1. Default Chapter

Hide and Seek  
  
Chapter 1-  
  
A/N: Hello all. It is a pupil free day today, so I decided to do a bit of writing. I've gotten over the shock of my new piano, so all the ideas came flooding back. Hope you like it!  
  
Disclaimer: I can safely say I don't own the characters. Although if Dick Wolf wants someone to take them off his hands I'd be glad to!!  
  
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Jaylene Stuart sat alone in her apartment. It was dark and she sat on the couch, holding the note and a knife. She was scared. She was rocking back and forth, biting her nails, staring into nothing. She wished the power would turn back on so she wouldn't feel so bad, but no matter how much she wished, the light wouldn't come. Every little noise made her jump, made her quiver. She looked at the note. It was written in black and it wasn't signed.  
  
I really tried to tell you not But you never knew the meaning of stop Now you aren't here to block my sight I guess I really won the fight  
  
She didn't know what it meant, or why it was sent to her. Maybe it was just some sick joke from the students she taught. They always did hate her math classes.  
  
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. She jumped and nearly screamed. She froze, too scared to move. She slowly walked over to the door.  
  
"Wh.who -" she tried to pluck up the courage to speak. "Who is it?" the words finally came out. There was silence.  
  
"Yo Jay, it's me, Ned," came a familiar male voice. She sighed in relief and wiped away the beads of sweat from her forehead.  
  
"Don't scare me like that. I'll be there in a minute ok?" Before she could unlock the door a dark figure jumped out the ducted air conditioning vent in the ceiling and kicked her head. She fell to the floor with a thud and the man smiled. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Planning, watching. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He was about to strike her when a voice rung out.  
  
"Jay, you ok in there?" Ned yelled. The man looked at the door as if trying to see the person on the other side. To kill, or not to kill? He thought. He could ruin the whole plan. He silently slipped across the room and opened the door to let Ned in. He walked in holing a six-pack of beer, a supreme pizza and a DVD.  
  
"I bought a few movies to watch, but I see 'tha power in 'ya building is down. So I guess we can't watch them. Where are ya girl?" he said, confused when she wasn't there. He turned around and saw the man. He didn't have time to make a noise before the man quickly punched him and gagged him. Perfect. No suspects and no noise. One more person that he had to kill, but he didn't mind. He finished with the bodies, disposed of them and slipped silently out the door as if nothing had happened. 


	2. Deadly Chemicals

Hide And Seek  
  
Chapter 2- Deadly Chemicals  
  
A/N: I hate homework. I hate injections. I am running out of titles for these chapters!!  
  
Kiera: Thanks!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.yadda, yadda.  
  
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"We have a pizza and beer and a movie, but nobody in here. How odd," Detective Eames observed. She stood in the living room of apartment 16E while police buzzed around her. Detective Goren stood scratching his head.  
  
"Jaylene didn't turn up for work. Maybe she skipped town for some reason," he suggested. Eames shrugged. He looked around the room. Nothing looked out of place. Nothing was missing, which ruled out his first theory. He looked under tables, on top of cupboards and in bookshelves and still nothing turned up. He looked in her bedroom. She had 2 jewellery boxes full of precious stones, mainly diamonds. He brought them out and set them on the table while he inspected them.  
  
"The neighbours heard nothing suspicious last night. The power was out in the building last night because rats ate through the cables. Maybe she left because she was afraid of rats," Eames said, looking at the books. Goren looked at her, then at the pizza and the movies, then back at her.  
  
"The tag on the movie says they have to be returned tonight - they are only overnight rentals so someone had to get them last night. And - " he walked over to the pizza and felt underneath the box. "The pizza is still warm, so it had to be recent. Maybe a few hours ago." Eames walked over to her partner and picked up the movie.  
  
"Moulin Rouge." She looked at the movie, then the jewellery. "Well I guess diamonds are a girls best friend," she said dryly. Goren walked over to the desk and filed through the papers. Eames watched her partner as his face lit up.  
  
"Nope, it seems a pre-nup is a girls best friend. It says here she was getting divorced from one Phillip O'Reilley."  
  
"You mean the O'Reilley's that developed that ozone-friendly air freshener spray?" she asked. Goren looked at her as if to say 'how do you know who he is?' and nodded.  
  
"Speaking of air freshener, what is that smell?" he asked, sniffing the air. Eames smelled the air. They looked at each other. That smell was far too familiar; the smell of a dead body.  
  
"Search everywhere. There is someone in here," he ordered. Everyone checked every space, but nothing was found. Eames looked under the couches, then up at the ceiling. Goren followed her gaze and looked up at the air vent.  
  
"No, you think?" He said. She shrugged. "There is no blood on the floor. And it looks undisturbed." Goren got a chair and unscrewed the bolds. As he lifted off the cover an arm fell out, hitting him in the face. Eames jumped in surprise and he nearly fell off the chair. The ring of laughter came from the doorway and the detectives looked over. Their expressions were not happy ones. The guy wore sweat pants and a hooded grey jumper and carried a brown paper bag with groceries in it. He instantly shut up, and walked down the hall with his head down.  
  
"I hate it when those things do that. Well at least we know that she didn't run away from the rats," Goren said as he removed the two bodies from the vent.  
  
"Did you see that guy? Freak," Eames said as she ID the bodies.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
1 Police Plaza  
  
"There were two bodies in the vent. One was Jaylene Stuart and the other we have identified as Ned Flanders," Eames reported to Deakins.  
  
"Isn't he from The Simpsons?" he asked. Eames nodded.  
  
"Well that was the name on the DVD card, although it may be false, kind of like a joke. We are searching the records to check his real identity," she informed him. Goren looked through the brown folder that contained photos of the scene, reports and the autopsy report.  
  
"One was kicked in the back of the head and the other was punched in the throat causing them to become unconscious, then gagged with a piece of cloth and a deadly chemical. They found particles of Ethanol in their lungs," he read from the report.  
  
"That's used in air fresheners," Eames connected the dots. Goren nodded. Then a man came and handed an envelope to Goren. He opened it and there was a note and another piece of paper in a plastic bag.  
  
"This letter was found at the scene. 'I really tried to tell you not, but you never knew the meaning of stop. Now you aren't here to block my sight, I guess I really won the fight'. Ok then," Goren said.  
  
"Won the fight. Maybe they were fighting about something in the pre-nup and he killed her to get it," Eames suggested.  
  
"Well aren't you the smart one today? We'll get O'Reilley in here," Goren said, tenderly touching his black eye. Eames giggled as they made their way out the building.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I know that must hurt. It isn't nice being whacked in the eye by a dead person's hand," she sympathised. Goren shook his head.  
  
"It isn't. It will get better. Anyway, it will be an interesting story to tell later," he joked.  
  
~*~*~*~*~* Central Living Apartments 145 Central Park Ave. Penthouse  
  
Goren and Eames banged on the mahogany door of the penthouse. The man inside yelled out, not happy.  
  
"He must pay a fortune to live here," Eames commented to her partner. The door opened suddenly with a man in a suit holding a mobile phone.  
  
"These doors are solid Mahogany. They cost a fortune. Don't go putting dents in them," he said inspecting the door,  
  
"If they are solid, they won't dent will they?" the man looked at him defeated. "Phillip O'Reilley?" Goren asked. The man nodded. "I'm detective Goren and this is Detective Eames. We'd like you to come with us," he said. Phillip looked confused.  
  
"Your ex-wife was found murdered in her apartment this morning," Eames clarified the situation. Phillip slammed the door in the detective's faces. They looked at each other. Then he re-appeared holding his jacket and dialling a number.  
  
"Yeah Elise, get me my lawyer." 


	3. Collins

Hide And Seek Chapter 3: Collins  
  
A/N: Low level coarse language. That's about it really.  
Autumngold: Hold yer horses! I'm getting to it! Hehehe  
  
Disclaimer: You know it all  
  
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"Jaylene was a good wife. I don't even know why we got divorced," Phillip said.  
  
"Well so far you are our number one suspect. Do you remember the pre-nup?" Goren said.  
  
"Here is a copy, just in case you have forgotten." Eames added and handed it to him. He looked at it blankly. Goren produced a small wooden, engraved box and set it in front of Phillip.  
  
"Do you recognise this?" Goren asked. He nodded.  
  
"That was my mother's. She left it to Jaylene in her will. We always fought over who got it. It has been passed down for 7 generations, so I said it was a family heirloom. But she argued that it was hers in the will. Mind you, she died before we got divorced," he said angrily. He opened it and looked at everything inside. A few rings that had tarnished with age, a gold and emerald pendant and a pair of matching earrings. All looked about 18th century.  
  
"Pretty aren't they?" Eames commented. Phillip picked up one of the rings. It was a dull gold colour with diamonds and sapphire.  
  
"Passed down to the daughters of the family. I never had a sister, so they were suppose to go to me to give to my daughter. They belonged to Mary Rose Dawson. A gift to her from her husband. All the women wore them on their wedding day as something old part. Many stories about where they have been. Jaylene wore them on our wedding. And when we were in court getting divorced. That made me so angry."  
  
"Which is why we think you killed her," Eames cut back to the point. "We found traces of Ethanol in her lungs, and the man who was with her. Doesn't your family own a company that makes air freshener?" she asked. Phillip looked down.  
  
"I didn't kill her. I wouldn't. Can I please go? I just want to get out of here," his eyes welled up.  
  
"Well we don't have any solid evidence that you are guilty, so go ahead," Goren said and showed him out. Eames joined him back at their desk.  
  
"What do you think?" She asked. Goren sighed.  
  
"Well the motive is there, that's a start."  
  
~*~*~*~*~* New York City Library  
  
Phillip paced up and down the aisles impatiently. He had agreed to meet Collins next to the mystery fiction section. He saw the librarian looking at him oddly, so he picked a book and buried his face in it to avoid suspicion. He didn't hear Collins' quick-paced silent footsteps and jumped when he tapped Phillip on the shoulder.  
  
"Shit Collins, don't do that. You know I hate it!" he said, his heart racing.  
  
"I am very sneaky sir. What did you want?" he asked. Phillip shoved the book back onto the shelf and led him to a table in the corner.  
  
"I had two detectives come asking about Jaylene. Why?" he said angrily. Collins shrugged.  
  
"Don't you lie to me. They found traces of Ethanol in her lungs. That connects the murder back to me. What did you forget to do?" Collins looked at his fidgeting fingers. When it came to angry clients he was very nervous.  
  
"I did everything you told me to. I silently slipped in through the vent.very sneaky.and I made sure there was no blood or sounds.again very sneaky. The only thing that backfired was a man came to the door and I had to kill him too." Collins waited for the man's reaction. He was surprisingly calm, although he felt like strangling his scrawny neck.  
  
"Do you know who the man is.was?" Phillip asked. Collins nodded furiously.  
  
"He said he was called Ned."  
  
"You spoke to him?" Phillip raised his voice. The librarian shushed him and he looked back at Collins.  
  
"No. He was standing outside and I decided to let him in because if I didn't the neighbours would think something suspicious," he explained. Phillip nodded.  
  
"We'll continue our little chat later. In the mean time this is the next one," he said rising from his seat and handing Collins a little envelope. Phillip walked away leaving Collins to inspect the letter. He opened the envelope, only to find another sealed envelope. Not in the library you dumb ass. I knew you couldn't wait was written on it in thick black. He laughed and when he saw the librarian he immediately shut up and put his head down to avoid eye contact. How did he know Collins thought. He got up and left the library, shoving the envelope into the pocket of his grey hooded jumper.  
  
~*~*~*~*~* 6pm Same Day Apartment 13F  
  
Phoebe Hudson opened the door to her apartment to find a bunch of letters on the floor. That nice old lady next door always got her mail for her. Sometimes they got mixed up, so they were forever receiving letters that weren't theirs. Phoebe threw her keys onto the table next to the door and flipped though the pile. She heard her dog, Jasper running towards her. She smiled and bent town to receive the little Jack Russel.  
  
"Hello puppy! Oh, you gorgeous. Are you hungry? You been a good boy? Lets get something to eat," she said to the dog picking it up and walking to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and they both peered in. The dog licked Phoebe's face. "You wanna go out and get something? I feel like Italian tonight," Phoebe said standing up and closing the door. She got changed and put the dog on its leash. She picked up a letter that had in red URGENT so she could read it on the way. Her mother had been very sick and it could have been something about that.  
  
The night was warm and the moon was big, a perfect spring night. She walked happily along with her dog to find somewhere to eat. She felt the letter in her pocket. She couldn't wait to open it, so she sat down on a bench and opened it. Nothing but a small piece of paper that said 'this is my time to get even with you. Your game was well played, but I topped your score.' She turned it over in her hands and frowned. What the? She thought. Maybe it was because her team won the basketball game the other day. She shoved it back into her pocket and started walking again. She didn't get far when she felt a sharp pain in the side of her neck. She felt dizzy and she was about to fall over when a man helped her walk across the street to a small park with tables and chairs.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked. She couldn't answer, just nod because she felt so awful. Her head fell onto the table and she didn't wake up. The man patted her head and smiled. He let the dog go and carried her into the park, where he had a small cement mixer. He covered her and made it look like a statue.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" a deep, husky voice came from behind. The man twirled around to find a big police officer.  
  
"I am building a statue for the festival. I have a permission letter from the council," he shakily said, producing a letter. He fidgeted while the policeman read the notice. He tried not to make it look obvious that he was nervous. The policeman looked at it, nodded and handed it back.  
  
"That's some fine work their son. You have real talent. So life like," he said, tipped his hat and went on his way. The man sighed, finished his work and left. A fine addition to the park. 


	4. Where are they?

Hide and Seek Chapter 4: Where are they?  
  
A/N: A 10-65 is a missing person. I dunno if anyone knew that, but I thought I'd tell ya anyway.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Next Day (August 12th) Apartment 13F 12pm  
  
"Phoebe Hudson didn't arrive at work this morning. Nobody here, no clues, she just vanished," Eames said as she and Goren searched the apartment.  
  
"This is deja vu," he said turning 360( in the middle of the living room. It was wide and spacious, decorated with all modern colours and furniture with no mess and lots of storage.  
  
"The neighbours say she went out last night and they didn't her from her after that. The lady next door left her mail under the door because they got mixed up." Eames stood next to Goren with her arms folded. He looked up at the ceiling air vent.  
  
"Maybe it is the same person that murdered Jaylene. Should we check?" He asked. She nodded. He got a chair, timidly unscrewed the cover and ducked as he pulled it off. Nothing came out to his relief. He climbed up and peered into the darkness. He couldn't see or smell anything. "Nothing in here. Have all the cupboards been checked?" He asked the officers searching the apartment. Everyone came back clear. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He did another check-over of the apartment and still found nothing. He spotted a small portrait of her and decided to keep it just in case. Maybe it would come in handy.  
  
"We have a 10-65 here. Where is she?" Eames said to herself as she walked out the apartment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Where do you suppose she is?" Goren asked, drumming his thumb on his brown notebook as the thoughts raced through his head.  
  
"I don't know." Eames sighed and ran her hands through her hair. She seemed on edge and tired, which wasn't normal for her.  
  
"Are you ok?" Goren asked. She nodded.  
  
"Yeah, why?" she asked. She did really feel a bit down, but nothing serious.  
  
"Nothing. You just seem different. Have you seen the new statues in the park? The ones for the Unity Festival next week?" Goren asked. She raised her eyebrows.  
  
"No, I don't think I have. Lets go have a look," she said as they walked to the park. There were only a few, one in particular stood out to Goren.  
  
"Look at this one. Such detail. And look at the expression. Beautiful work." his voice trailed off, but something else had caught Eames' attention. She watched as a timid man as he sat down, looked around him and started feeding the birds. He looked familiar somehow.  
  
"Hey Goren, doesn't he look like someone we know?" she asked, interrupting it detail-examining session.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, I know him. He's the guy who laughed at me when Jaylene's hand hit me," he said. Eames remembered, and looked at his eye.  
  
"How is that by the way?" she asked. He shrugged.  
  
"Better. Hold on," he said as hic phone rang. The man spotted Eames and looked straight at the ground embarrassed that a pretty woman was looking at him. She turned around as Goren got off the phone.  
  
"Another murder. This is getting weird."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Joy Ride Boat Hire Pier 4  
  
"I found this boat not long ago. It has all blood in the bottom of it," the woman said. She led them to the small tin boat and pointed.  
  
"Well it certainly looks like blood. I'll take a sample and we'll get some DNA," Goren said as he leant over the side of the pier and reached into the boat. He took a sample, and then saw something white. He picked it up, wiped it and saw a note.  
  
"You tried to run, I hunted you down, you tried to hide, I found you around. I guess you should have tried harder, coz now I can say I am your murderer."  
  
"There is a pattern. The same guy is murdering these women and leaving notes," Eames said.  
  
"Did you see anything unusual?" Goren asked the woman.  
  
"Well a few hours ago some guy was just sitting in the boat. It looked like he was net fishing. I just left him."  
  
"What did he look like?" Eames asked. The woman shrugged.  
  
"He had a brown paper bag, an wore a grey jumper with a hood. It had writing on it. I think it said 'You can run' then on the back 'you can't hide' and there were eyes printed on it. That's all I can remember," she said.  
  
"Thanks," Goren said, and they left the scene.  
  
"Two missing people, one un-identifiable killer. This is getting bad. We need a pattern," Eames said. She sighed again and looked at her hands. They were shaking, and she didn't know why. She saw Goren grab her hand to steady it.  
  
"Alex, are you alright?" he asked concerned. She nodded.  
  
"I just.I don't know. Remember Phillip O'Reilley? Well he is just someone I knew way back I high school. He was a sweet guy, I just think maybe he has something to do with all of this. But, then again, I can't bring myself to believe he'd do anything. I just think it was a coincidence about Jaylene being murdered, and the pre-nup turning up," she said, her voice getting softer as she talked.  
  
"We'll see. We don't have any evidence connecting him, so it may just be a coincidence. I think its home time anyway," Goren said and he drove her home for once.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Collins sat up all night trying to write the perfect words. They just wouldn't come out though. The ink from the pen wouldn't flow onto the paper. He steadied his hand, took a deep breath and suddenly the words came out. All was good again. 


	5. Found Out

Hide and Seek Chapter 5:  
  
A/N: someone ppplllleeaassseee review my story!!! LOL (  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't make them up or anything.  
  
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Eames' Apartment 6am  
  
She woke up and stretched. Another day a work and another day to get through. She sleepily wiped her eyes and headed for the shower. She got dressed and grabbed something to eat. She was actually early for once, so decided to read her mail before she left. She flicked through the white envelopes. Bill, bill, council notice, letter from Hannah, unmarked. She opened the unmarked one and read it. She dropped all the others and raced out.  
  
"Oh my god," she said to herself and raced to work.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"You are the last one on my list. You are the last to get me pissed. My quest is close to being complete. And we'll finish this game of Hide and Seek." Goren read aloud as Eames stood biting her nails. She looked worried and tense. "And you got it this morning?" he asked. She nodded and sat down.  
  
"It was with the rest of my mail. I didn't hear or see anyone," she said, her voice shaky.  
  
"So you think it is the same guy?" he asked. She nodded. "It is like a puzzle. He is saying he's finishing a game."  
  
"And he's coming after me. What do I do? We have to catch him. He'll kill me and hide my body and when I don't turn up for work you'll go looking for me and-"  
  
"Alex, don't worry. You'll be safe. Chill," he reassured her. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.  
  
"Ok. There has to be a link. The first murder, Jaylene, was supposed to be hidden, but we found her. The second murder, Phoebe, she just disappeared. No note, nothing. The third murder, unknown, we found a note. The fourth murder, me, note." She tried to analyse everything, but still didn't come up with any answers.  
  
"Eames, you aren't murdered yet," Goren reminded her.  
  
"We have to go out. We have to search for clues. Come on," she pulled him up and raced out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
PARK  
  
The park was teeming with people. The Unity festival was almost upon them and the park was decorated with balloons, streamers, statues and food stalls. Eames looked around her, searching for clues.  
  
"How do we know he's here?" Goren asked.  
  
"I don't. I'm just guessing," she answered. "We have to get to the docks and check that boat out again. Where is the bus stop?" she searched, but when she found it the bus was just about to leave. She raced up the side of it, and looked at all the people inside. Even if it had stopped, they wouldn't be able to get on. Then someone caught her eye. A man who seemed intimidated by all the people. He wore a grey sweatshirt and looked awfully familiar. He looked over and caught Eames' eye. Goren was busy taking in all the festivities, but Eames stared at him, wracking her brain trying to find where he was from. Suddenly she realised.  
  
"That's it," she said aloud. Goren looked at her.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"That guy. The one at the apartment,"  
  
"The one that laughed?" he asked. She nodded. "What about him?"  
  
"His jumper.did you see what was written on it?" she asked Goren.  
  
"No. I was paying more attention to the hand that hit me on the face and the blunt pain on my cheek," he said. She shook her head.  
  
"Well it was a WWF jumper. It said 'Win the Fight'." Goren looked at her. "And then he was in the park. And the woman with the boat said she saw the same guy with a jumper saying 'You can run, but you can't hide'. He has something to do with.or.he's the one. He's here, now, following me." She looked into the man's eyes as if to say is it you? He caught on, shook off the timid look for an instant and smiled. He got up so his back faced the window. His jumper said 'Found you'. Her mouth fell open, and as someone grabbed her shoulder, she screamed.  
  
"Hey, It's me! Geez Alex you're so tense," came the voice. It was Phillip O'Reilley.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Goren asked him. Phillip backed off.  
  
"She just looked so tense. I just wanted to say hi," he said and walked off.  
  
"That was very very weird," Goren said. Eames suddenly realised they were in it together.  
  
"Goren, get him!" she said, as she started to race after him. Phillip looked back, and bolted. A tell tale sign he was guilty of something. Goren chased him down and hand cuffed him.  
  
"What are you doing? You have nothing connecting me!" Phillip yelled.  
  
"We have reason to believe you are involved with these murders. You are under arrest." 


	6. L is for

Hide and Seek Chapter 6: L is for.  
  
A/N: I had absolutely no idea how to finish this, so I just left it!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them  
  
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"So what evidence do you have connecting me?" Phillip asked, arms crossed and looking smug.  
  
"Well we found Ethanol in your ex-wife's lungs. You run an air freshener company," Goren said. Phillip laughed.  
  
"And that's it? So the jury is going to charge me on Ethanol?" he smiled and shook his head. "I may not be a lawyer, but I don't think that'll go down. Suddenly his mobile rang, but as he went to answer it Goren snatched it and hung up on the caller.  
  
"Nice phone. How can you afford this?" he asked, looking it over.  
  
"From working all my life," he said trying to snatch it back, but Goren gave it to Eames.  
  
"You're interested in all the technological stuff, do you wanna have a look?" he said as she fiddled with it.  
  
"Don't you break that Alex!" Phillip yelled, getting up, but Goren pushed him back down again. Alex scrolled through his phone numbers and her face went white, and red at the same time.  
  
"How the hell did you get my number?" she asked. He shrugged. "I've moved several times since we last spoke. What are you doing?" she kept looking at the numbers. "Jaylene, Phoebe. There is one missing. So who is the other girl you killed?" She asked.  
  
"And where did you stash the bodies?" Goren added. Phillip laid back, hands behind his head.  
  
"Well I couldn't tell you that one because I didn't kill them. However." he added. "If I did tell you would that mean less jail time for me?" he asked.  
  
"So you had something to do with it then? What were you supposed to do?" Goren asked. Phillip looked Eames straight in the eye with a devilish look.  
  
"Well she was my target. You were all I wanted honey." He let out a laugh and Eames stormed out the room. Goren folded his arms.  
  
"Gee. You really pissed her off. I.uh.wouldn't do that if I were you," he advised. "Come on. Just tell us who did the others and we'll make a deal," he tried to persuade Phillip. He put his hands up as if to surrender.  
  
"Just to to the other scenes. They are still there. You'll see," and with that, he didn't say anything more. Goren walked out and joined his partner.  
  
"He said to go to the other scenes and we'll find the other girls. So the boat and.where?" he asked.  
  
"The park. With the statues. You looked at the one with the detailed expressions. Maybe he.could he?" she looked horrified at the thought of the body covered in cement.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The two detectives raced down to the park where the festivities of Unity Day were still going on. They ran through the crowd with a mallet, looking for the statue. It wasn't hard to find, and when they did, Goren hit it hardly with the mallet and out fell the body. People around them screamed and stood back.  
  
"One down, one to go," Eames said as they left the body to the NYPD and headed for the docks. When they arrived they found the cleaned boat and searched everywhere. Goren eventually got inside and put his arm in the water. He felt a rope and as he pulled it up he saw a large bag with a body inside.  
  
"There's the missing piece. Look, a nametag. Tracey Biggs, McDonalds. She must have just got off work." Eames helped Goren out of the boat and looked around. She saw something moving in the far end of the docks and peered hard. She saw someone who she didn't want to see. She ran down and leaped onto him, pinning him to the ground. "I caught you first. You lose," she said as she handcuffed the man in the grey sweater.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Yeh, I did it. I'll confess," the man said after receiving Goren's icy glare.  
  
"So why Collins? Who's idea was it?" Eames asked.  
  
"Well it was the typical run-of-the-mill assassinations. This guy, Phillip someone, had a bunch of people he wanted killed. He is a tidy guy, wants everything neat with no loose ends," he said.  
  
"Did you write the notes? They were very clever," Goren said. The man smiled.  
  
"I was always good at poetry in high school. So what are you gonna do to me?" he asked.  
  
"Well we'll send you to jail, you might get a life sentence if you're lucky," Goren said as he was taken away. "So, what did he do?" He asked. Eames sighed and ran her hands through her hair.  
  
"In high school we were friends. He turned alcoholic and one day I dumped him on the highway when I thought he was going to throw up in my car. He eventually found his way home, after he was seen swinging off a lamppost singing like in that movie. He never forgave me, and I guess he didn't want anyone to find out." She giggled as she remembered, but at the time she really was pissed off.  
  
"And he didn't like having you remember that every time you saw him. I guess he'd pushed it to the back of his mind," Goren said. Eames nodded.  
  
"He was always like that. Hoping nobody would remember the stupid things he did. What a loser." 


	7. Turned

Hide and Seek Chapter 7: Turned  
  
A/N: Hello!! I know I said it was the end, but I have an ending. The only thing it the storyline has changed a bit  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Eames leaned back in her chair. The new issue of CLEO was out and it had some great articles this month. Goren sat reading up on his new favourite topic.Pygmy Marmosets. He never knew little creatures could be so damn cute.  
  
"These things are tiny ya know. They are about as big as your finger," he said from behind his book. Eames peeked over her magazine.  
  
"Why is that of any relevance to me?" she asked. He peeked over his book and met her eyes.  
  
"I just thought you'd like to know. Hey, is that Cameron Diaz on the cover?" he asked, suddenly more interested in the movie star. Eames looked on the cover.  
  
"Yep. I'd kill to be her height," she said. Goren shook his head.  
  
"You're the right height. Perfect for your body," he complimented. She smiled back.  
  
"Detective Eames!" Deakins called out. She put the magazine down and headed to his office. She emerged holding a huge bunch of flowers.  
  
"Wow. It isn't your birthday is it?" he asked, half panicking that he'd missed it.  
  
"No, there isn't even a note. Begonia, Monkshood, Tamarisk and Marigold. A strange mix," Eames said, admiring the pretty flowers. Goren, on the other hand looked more serious.  
  
"It doesn't need a note. Begonia means beware, Monkshood means a deadly foe is near, Tamarisk means Crime and Marigold means cruelty." Goren paused to think about the hidden message these flowers brought. Eames looked horrified at the once pretty bouquet. Now all she saw was a deadly mix of weeds. She took them and threw them in the bin.  
  
"I'm going home, it's late," she said as she gathered her belongings and walked into the elevator.  
  
"But it is only 4:30pm!" Goren called after her, but she didn't hear. He didn't think twice about racing after her. She could be in trouble. He caught up to her in the car park.  
  
"Alex, wait!" he yelled. She turned around.  
  
"Goren, what are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"I don't want you going home alone," he said, concerned. She smiled. It was sweet of him to care.  
  
"I'll be fine. Thanks," she said, held his hand to calm him and hopped into her car. He watched her drive away, still worried about not seeing her the next day. He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head; after all, she was a big girl now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Next Day  
  
Goren was early for work the next morning, and waited for his partner to arrive. Finally, she arrived, on time. She happily walked across the floor to meet her partner, only to find him with his head resting on a clenched fist and looking very worried.  
  
"Hey, I'm here. No need to worry," she said. He looked at her.  
  
"It isn't about that," she said as he leant over the side of his desk and lifted up a bunch of flowers - the same flowers as the day before. Eames' jaw dropped.  
  
"Another bunch?" she said surprised.  
  
"Yep, all the same kinds, and with no note. This is getting serious," he said as he watched her sit down. She sighed.  
  
"It may be just a practical joke. Someone who knows his or her flowers," she said, hoping he would listen. Phillip was in jail and so was Collins, and they were the only ones who killed the women. "Nobody else is connected with the murders, so it must be someone joking."  
  
"But how do you know? They could be communicating with someone on the outside and they could be doing this," he said, standing up and walking behind her. "He could be right under our noses," he whispered into her ear. She turned her head and looked at him.  
  
"I think you are making a big deal out of nothing, but if it makes you feel better we'll get a hold of the security tapes from the jail. Ok?" she said as he backed off, nodding. "You are really freaking me out. It is just an irrational fear," she said as he sat back down and rubbed his forehead.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. Can we get those pics now?" he asked anxiously. She nodded, and they walked out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The jail was cold and grey, just how it should be. Eames hated jails. They asked at the desk to see the tapes and they sent them to another room - who then sent them to another room - who sent them to another room. When they finally arrived the little man with the glasses gave them the tapes.  
  
"Here you go," he said. Goren nodded in thanks and headed over to the TV. His eyes darted around the room. She saw still there. The air seemed funny, and he started coughing.  
  
"You ok?" Eames asked.  
  
"Can I have some water?" he said between fits. She nodded and raced off. He waited until she was gone and started looking at the tapes. He didn't want her to see. When he finally found what he was looking for, he took the tape. He didn't want to hurt her.  
  
"Here you go," she said as she came back and handed him the Styrofoam cup. He gulped it down and breathed in deeply. They sat there for ages looking through, but they found nobody talking to either of the men. They walked down the hall to leave the jail, Goren looking disappointed, but Eames relaxed.  
  
"See. It is just a coincidence," she said coolly. He nodded.  
  
"Maybe. Hey you go ahead, I have to call someone," he said, and stopped at a payphone. Eames nodded and left Goren alone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When they finally got back to the office Eames was met with a surprise.  
  
"Oh my.where did all these come from?" she said. Goren looked at all the flowers covering her desk. All the same kind, all without notes. "This is getting serious. Who is doing this?" she said, flopping into her seat. Goren shrugged.  
  
"We can see tomorrow. It is 5:30, I'm going home," he said and hurriedly left Eames with her bunches of flowers. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she noticed a sticker. Kent's Florist. Maybe that'd hold some clues. 


	8. Taken

Hide and Seek Chapter 8: Taken  
  
A/N: I realise it may be a crappy ending, but here it goes.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these people  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Eames decided to visit the florist instead of call. Hopefully they wouldn't be shut. She was in luck because they didn't close until 7pm on a Wednesday.  
  
"I'm detective Eames. I was wondering if you could help me with something," she said to the little old lady behind the counter.  
  
"Sure. What can I do for you dear?"  
  
"Can you tell me who sent a bunch of flowers?" she asked. The lady nodded.  
  
"If you can tell me the types of flowers that'll narrow it down."  
  
"Ok, um, Begonia, Monkshood, Tamarisk and Marigold." She said. The lady looked surprised.  
  
"Oh dear. Not a very good mix," she said.  
  
"I know. I need to know the number of who sent them. They didn't have a name."  
  
"Ok. I can check on the computer here. It is a private number. I think it is a payphone," she said. Eames nodded.  
  
"Thankyou," she said and headed out the door. She walked down the street to where her car was parked and it suddenly dawned on her. Goren had used a payphone, which was strange because he had his mobile in his pocket. It couldn't have been him, could it?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Eames headed to his apartment. She knocked on his door, thinking through what she was going to say. He answered it and looked very surprised.  
  
"Eames? What are you doing here?" he asked.  
  
"I just got out of work and I thought I'd come by and say thanks for worrying about me. It just shows to me that you care," she said. He nodded. There was silence between them, and then Goren remembered his manners.  
  
"Do you want to come in?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, no thanks. I have to get going. Have a good night," she said as she left. It couldn't be him. He was her partner, her best friend.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, he beat her to work again. More flowers on her desk and Goren looking worried.  
  
"More? Gees, when will they stop?" she said frustrated. Goren mumbled something, but she didn't hear it. Deakins called Goren into his office, and Eames took the opportunity to look in his desk. He usually kept it locked, but for some reason it wasn't. She quickly searched through the top one, and then the middle, and it was there that she found a video. She took it and put it into her desk.  
  
"We have a suspect coming in I have to question. Are you coming?" he said when he came back out. She shook her head.  
  
"I have a tonne of work to do. You go ahead," she said, and he raced off. She quickly found somewhere to play the tape and popped it into the VCR. She sat intently and watched. She saw nothing and then Goren entered the screen. Was it Goren? She looked more closely. It was he for sure. She couldn't miss the suit, patterned tie and unshaven face. She couldn't believe he would do it. But why? She took the video and stormed to the interrogation room he was in. He had just finished with the suspect and she went in and slammed the door behind her. He looked up from the files he was gathering in surprise.  
  
"Eames, what are you doing?" he asked surprised.  
  
"I'd like to ask you the same thing. What's this?" she asked throwing the tape on the table. He looked at it confused.  
  
"I don't."  
  
"It's a security tape Goren. One I found in your desk. With you talking to Phillip. What the hell are you up to?" she asked. He sat down, looking innocent and shocked.  
  
"I'm not up to anything. Why would you think that?" he asked.  
  
"Don't you lie to me. I went to the Florist yesterday, the same one those flowers are coming from. The lady traced the call to a payphone. You used a payphone yesterday, even though you had your mobile with you. And this tape has you talking to Phillip. What are you doing?" She was angry and upset that he could do this. Goren stood up.  
  
"I'm not in this, ok. It is all just a big mistake. I ran out of credit on my phone, and I had to question Phil. All can be explained," he said.  
  
"No, no. That isn't right. The government pays for our phone at work. We are on a plan. And I don't think you had to question him at 10:24pm. What are you hiding? Are you trying to kill me?" she accused. He stood up from his chair.  
  
"So what if I was? Lets say for arguments sake I was? Why would I do it?" he asked, hands waving about. Eames was silent for a minute.  
  
"Because you are slipping every day. After all, you are the same age your mother was. And you are more influenced by what people tell you to do. Anything to stop it. Don't deny it Bobby, you know it is true." It was painful for her to say it. He just looked at her.  
  
"No, it isn't true. I am the best goddamn detective this city has. I don't need to kill you," he said, walking about the room. Eames just stood in one place as the horrible truth came to light.  
  
"You are the best detective Bobby. But you are also the criminal's best friend. He knew about you. He knew you could be swayed to do things easily. That's why he asked you to kill me. You are the one who sent the flowers. You were always at work early to make sure I got them. You knew what each flower meant. You knew me." She bowed her head as a tear fell down her cheek. Silence. She knew all too well he was only thinking of a way to get around it. He threw his head back and looked at the ceiling. He laughed. It wasn't the usual Goren laugh, but the laugh of a new man. A devilish laugh. A schizophrenic laugh. He pulled out his gun and fired at her. Luckily it missed, but it was enough for her to be forced to do the unthinkable.  
  
"Robert Goren, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Alexandra Eames," she said as she cuffed him. He didn't struggle, just smiled. Other detectives raced in to get him, and she just sat and cried. It had finally happened. Just when she thought she was safe from Phillip and Collins, he had to start. They swayed him to do things he knew he didn't want to, but the voices told him to. Deakins heard what had gone on and he came to comfort her. He'd noticed something odd about him over the past few weeks, but he had no idea this was it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When she arrived home there was another bunch of flowers on her doorstep. Azaleas, Cyclamen, purple Hyacinth and Red Roses. There was even a note this time.  
  
Azaleas for take care of yourself for me. Cyclamen for goodbye. Purple Hyacinth for please for give me. Red Rose for Love. 


End file.
